Tank closure latch



Feb. 19, 1935. 1. E. oHEA 1,991,571

TANK CLOSURE LATCH Filed Aug; 6, 1932 Patented Feb. 179, 1935 1f UNITED gSTrrEs Pararrr oFFi-CE] 1,991,571 TANK CLQSURELATCH John `EdwardY -`OHea, Denver/Colo., assigner of one-fourth to MaryE. OHeja, DenveryColo.`

Application August s, 1932, ,serialna 62":,715

' 1 Claim. (Cl. 701-90) This invention relates to means -for preventing theft of liquids fromtanks and more particularly tomeans 'for preventing the unauthorized siphoning off liquid uel'from automobile tanks, and has as an object'tov provide an improved construction for the closure member of such tanks and improved means automatically operable toY latch Asaid closureA member against V-unauthorized removal.

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, A furtherjobject ofthe invention is to provide an improved tank latch assembly which may be readily mounted .on land adapted to tank filler necks `of various lsizes and types.

A further object of the invention is to provide ian improved pressure-operable latch in en` gaging relation With the closure Amember of a tank.' Y

`A further object ofthe invention is to providev an improved tank latch arranged for positive and efficient operation without the use of keys.

. Aj further object of the invention is to provide an improved automobile tank latch Which isnormally in engaged relation and operatively connected'for release with the motor elements of the automobile. f

.A further object of theinvention is to provide an improved' tank latch .which is simple and inexpensive ofmanufacture and installation, positive, ecient and durablein use and susceptible ,of ready adaptation. to automobile tanks as at present employed. Y

My invention consists in the' construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described; pointed out in my claim `and illustrated :by the accompanying drawing, v in Figurelis a section diametrically of a preferred form of the invention as installed for practical use on a tank filler neck of common form. 'Figure 2 is a plan view of theshowing of Figure 1,

the closure member being'removed and its normal position being indicated by dotted linesf'A Figure- ,Figure Yisa detail section, on an enlarged scale, axiallyfof the latch means employed in the improvement. Figure 6 is a half bottom plan, partly in section, of the modification illustrated in Figure3. I l l :In 'the 'construction ofv the improvement as shown in Figures 1,. 2, 4 and V5, `the numeral .10V

designates Aa portion of a tank ller neck, which neck is lcylindrical and provided `at its upper end with external threads, as is ncommon practice; it being customary-to close thetank neck-With a cap adapted to `be lscrewed onto the `threaded portion of the neck. .When it is desired to mount the improvement on the tank neck 10, the normal closure member-mounted thereon is removed and Vdiscarded and a hollow, cylindrical sleeve w11, open at each end and of greater diameterrthan the tank neck and formed with an inturned flange 11 at its lower endwhereon is supporteda ring 12, -is mounted in telescoping relation kvvith the neck 10, the ring 12 having an inner diameter such as topermit it to slip freely on said neck and `an outer diameter substantially equal to .the internal diameter of the sleeve l1. After thesleeve lland ring .l2 have been mounted onthe neck 10, `a pair oflock nuts 1,3-, 14 4rormedwith` internal threads adapted to engagerwith theexternal threads of the. ltank Lneck aremounted on and clamped rmly together adjacent the-upa per' end of said neck, the greater .diameter of said lock `nuts vbeing ,slightly less than the linternal diameter .of the ,sleeve 1l., so that said sleevemay be. drawn Vupwardly past and'in enclosing relation with said lock,.nuts until arrested by engagement of the ring 12 with the lovvlermost of the said. lockrnuts. The sleeve 11 being posi` tioned as above described, a relatively thickring L15 of asizetoslip freely .within ,thesleeve 11 is insertedin said `sleeve torest on and above the upperofthe lock nuts, a gasket 16 preferably being interposed between said ring l5 and theupperof thelock nuts, anda lock ring 17 is mountjed in threadedengagement within the upper portion of the sleeve 11 and screwed down against theuppersurface of the vring 15,7thus drawing .thezsleeve 11 upwardly/until thering 12 vbears tightly against the Vlower of the lock nuts and -clampingthe elements 11, 12, 13, v14, 15and 16 vclosely together in fixed relation on the` upper end of the `neck` 10.` Fixed to and Vin concentric vrelationvvit'h the ring 15, a relatively short tubular element 18 rises above said ring through the lo'ck Aring ,17 and is positioned with its upper end in substantially the same plane'vvith ,the upper end oi the sleeve `11,'the element 18 thus acting as an Vextension of the neck ,10. Theupper'portion of Y the element v18 is externally threaded to Ycoact with internalthreads of an annular ange 19 formed on acap or closure member 20,v which latter member is provided with a radially Vextending' flange -20 adapted to overlieand. project slightly beyond the upper end of the sleeve 11,-thus proend spaced outwardly from the element 18 suiiciently to clear the ring 17. The inner end of the element 22 is closed save for a relativelyY small, axial hole and the outer end ofthe element is provided with suitableconnections, in-

dicated at 23, whereby attachment may be 'hadv with one end oi a tube or pipe 24 operatively communicating with the vacuum tank, intake` manifold or other reduced pressure portion of an internal combustion engine (not shown). The element '22 is provided with a straight, uniform bore communicating lwith the tube or pipe 24, the major portion or which bore is internally threaded, that portion of the bore adjacent its closed end being left smooth to pro- Vide a slide bearing for a plunger member 25 closelyrtted foraxial reciprccation therein. An axial pin 26 is formed onthe plunger 25 and arranged to project through the hole in the otherwise .closed end or' the element 22,` the length of said pin 26 being suicient to bridge across the lock ring 1'7 and engage in a hole in the tubular element 18 when the plunger 25 is at the inner limit .of its `range of travel, downwardly-opening notches 27 being provided in the flange 19 of the closure member in such number as may be de-.

sired to permit full extension of the plunger pin from the element 22, so that, when said pin is extended through one of the notches 27 the nange 19 and associated .closure member is held against rotation and removal .thereof is prevented. To hold the plunger 25 and its pin 26' at the inner limit oi the element 22, a stern 28 is formed axial- .ly of the plunger 25 and extends oppositely from the pin26, said stem extending through a guide plate 29 adjustably'threadedin the bore Aofthe element 22 and an. expansive coil spring 30 is mounted on said stem 28 and acts between the plunger 25 and plate 29 Yto yieldingly-hold the plunger in the position shown vFigure 5. With the arrangement above described-it is obvious thatV so 'long as no pressure reduction is had throughv the tube 24 the plunger 25 will be heldby theV spring 3) in the position shown in Figures 'l and 5, in which position; the pin 25 traverses a notch inthe flange 19 and latches the closure member against rotation and consequentremoval. Thus when the engine to which lthe tube 24 is connected is at rest-the cap 20 is securely latched in Yplace. When the engine is operatingQthe normal pressure in the tube24 is reduced, which condition `permits normal atmospheric pressure to push the plunger 25y outwardly of the element 22 against thepressure of the spring 30, simultaneously withdrawing the pin 26 from its engagement Ywith the iiang'e 19 readily attachable to any given ment 22 and positioned to be engaged by said stem valve when the plunger-25 is adjacent the.A Y

outer limit of its range of travel. Itrmay be" expedient, at times, to provide means whereby.

the latching action of the pin 26 may be retarded,

to which end a spring-pressed.ball-valve 32 is" suitably mounted within the element 22,.,as by.l

means of a plate 33 threadedly engaging .within the bore of said element, in position to coact with'r f .1074 by a plate 311 threadedly mounted for adjustment and normally close against a. valve seat 'carried within the bore of said element, the ball-valve Y, 32 unseating under pressure reduction within the tube 24m-permit unlatching ofthe pin 26 and n 11.5 I.. is restored, thereby. sealing the chamber behind closing against its. seat when normal pressure the plunger 25 and retarding the return action of the plunger, regulation of the retardlng action being had through relative adjustment of rthe 2 plates 33 and 34.V` l

In the construction according toFigures 3:'and

6, the essential elements ofthe improvementareA in all respects identical with those prevlouslyne'- scribed, the only difference in the lastnoted' tlg- .y ures residingin the type ofv tank fillerneck and the method of attachingthe tank latch thereto, In Figures 3 and 6 is shown a tank neckv ofc1ipf type whereinV an inwardly-extending, arc'i'iateffVlnr flange on the upper end of the neck is providedY with opposed notchesan'd actsin place of the external threads previously described as a means for attaching the conventional closure member.V

In the illustration of this modiiication, the tank kneck is indicated at 10 and itsnotched, arcuate flange vat 10", Tomount ythe improvementn this type of neck, the-lock nuts v13 and 14. are dispensed with and iiat washers 13' and14 .pro-

vided. The washer 13 is formed withfa pair o1'r curved lugs .35 so.; positioned. as to enterl the neck through the notches .of :thenange 10." and embrace fsaid flange to prevent lifting?.

away of said washerwhen the latter `hasbeenrgtated slightly on the flange, and isfurtherprovided with a pair of holes adapted to register with the notches of the ange 10 whenthe lugs 35 are in locked relation with said ange, pins the pins 36 toA prevent the removal or dlsplace'- v ment thereof.Y With the washers 13' andli'. substituted forV therlock nuts 13. and 14, the improvement isV mounted on the .clip"type neckinthe 'manner previouslydescribed to function as above desscribed. Y

t is obvious that the improvement may be cohstructed in'one' size only and' adapted to :tank

necks of varying sizes by' variation only of theV innerdiameters of theiring 12, nutsV 13 and 14 l and washers-13' and 14', thus providing a: device employed on'automobiles. v

closure is securely latched, and since accessto tank' commonly f f the engine is generally diflicult without proper g "-I'. keys and due authority, it is, apparentr thatthe..` l' y .improvement presents a tank latch of high prac-Y l tical efficiency. Duly authorized.v jpersonscan.

release the tank .latch by simply-starting. the engine.

. Since many changes-inthe speciiic'form, construction and arrangement of the elements shown to be understood as being limited solely by the scope of the appended claim rather than by any details of the illustrative showingand foregoing' description. Y

I claim as my inventionv l In a device of the character described'having a tank'ller neck and a closure member threadedly engagingrsaid neck, ,means automatically operable to latch said closuremember against rotation, said means comprising vertical notches in the threaded flange of the closure member, a boss ofset laterally from and radially of said neck, a radial chamber in said boss, a plunger mounted for reciprocation Within said chamber, a

pin projecting from the inner end of said plunger `in position `Vto engage one of the vertical notches of the closure member, Vand spring means normally operable to urge said plunger and pin toward said closure member; together With valve` means in said chamber closable bysaid plungerV at the outer limit of its range of travel, a check Valve in said chamber operable to retarclinward travel of said plunger and pressure reducing means communicating with said chamber and operable to permit atmospheric pressure to act on and release the plunger pin from its latching engagement with said closure member.

' JOI-IN EDWARD OHEA. 

